Bathurst legend returns with stunning creation
Racing star Jacky Ickx made his return to Mt Panorama thanks to Genesis.
It had been four decades since Jacky Ickx visited Mt Panorama, but he made a spectacular return at the recent Bathurst 12-hour. The Belgian racing legend was back in Bathurst with Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, and hit the track in the company’s one-of-one concept car.
Ickx, in his role as Genesis’ brand ambassador, was entrusted with the one-off X Gran Berlinetta concept car, a real-life version of what was originally intended to only be a virtual car. While Genesis wouldn’t officially reveal any details on the functional prototype, the rumble from underneath the X Gran Berlinetta as Ickx lapped Mt Panorama was clearly from a V8.
As we wrote recently, it’s time Genesis stops teasing us with these stunning concepts and actually puts one into production to get serious in its fight against Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche. The X Gran Berlinetta looked great on-track and drew plenty of attention when it was on display in the pit garage.
As did Ickx, with the long queues of autograph hunters proving that a Bathurst win, especially one as iconic as his 1977 triumph with Allan Moffat, earns you respect that lasts a lifetime.
Check out the video below of Ickx discussing his emotional return to Mt Panorama and see and hear the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta in action.
